Banda Aceh – While waiting to officially declare the party, the Acehnese People’s Party (PRA) – the first local political party in Aceh – is currently in process of establishing a party leadership board. This was conveyed by PRA General Chairperson Thamren Ananda in Banda Aceh on Monday March 5. “At this time we are currently preparing the management structure, to make ready for the declaration”, he said when speaking with Aceh Kita.

The first stages that will be undertaken in the lead up to the declaration includes a cabinet formation meeting that is planned to be held on March 18 in Lhokseumawe, North Aceh. This will be followed by the establishment of a leadership board and its inauguration in Banda Aceh. Ananda said that the PRA would be declared immediately after all of these stages are complete. “There is a good possibility that it will still be in March”, he said.

The declaration he said does not have to wait for the government regulation on local parties to be ratified by the government. According to Ananda, the spirit for the establishment of local parties is based on Law Number 11/2006 on Aceh Governance. “So we don’t have to wait for the government regulation on local parties [to be ratified]”, he said.

As reported previously, Ananda was elected as the general chairperson and Aguswandi as the general secretary during a congress that was attended by around 400 party members from throughout Aceh. The congress started on February 27 and ended on March 2.

In addition to this, the congress also succeeded in formulating the PRA’s future program. “Later we will announce it to the public at the declaration, not right now”, said Ananda. For the moment, Ananda also declined to give his views on the current Aceh government. [Adw]